Abstract
Pheidole comprises approximately 1,000 extant species distributed worldwide, being particularly diverse in the New World. In addition to its high diversity and ecological prevalence, the genus is also characterized by the predominantly intraspecific dimorphism, with major and minor workers. Currently, five fossil species are known, all of which are represented only by minor workers. A new species, †Pheidoleanticuasp. nov., is described from Dominican amber, based on a major worker. Additionally, the identity of the currently known fossil species in Pheidole is discussed and †P.cordata from Baltic amber is considered as incertae sedis, resulting in no Pheidole species currently recognized for Baltic amber
Highlights
Pheidole Westwood 1839 is the largest myrmicine ant genus with 1,047 species worldwide (Bolton 2019)
The studied inclusion was originally immersed in a 26 × 14 × 14 mm, orange, oval Dominican amber piece with a fragmentary specimen of Psocoptera as a syninclusion, which was lost after treatment of the stone
In the same work is an image of a major worker from the Dominican amber owned by Elizabeth J
Summary
Pheidole Westwood 1839 is the largest myrmicine ant genus with 1,047 species worldwide (Bolton 2019). Species in this genus are generally characterized by conspicuous dimorphism, with major and minor workers. All fossil records mentioned for Pheidole so far are exclusively represented by minor workers. We describe a new species of Pheidole for the Dominican amber based on a major worker. We propose changes to the status of the other fossil species in the genus
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